Display rack



Dec. 10, 1929. J. v. CIZEK DISPLAY RACK Filed Nov. 20. 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Ina e 7J0 F ames it Dec. 10, 1929. J. v. CIZEK DISPLAYRACK Filed Nov. 20. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet ,2

r i I l l I I I I Patented Dec. 10, 1929 PATENT OFFICE JAMES V. CIZEK,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS DISPLAY RACK Application filed November 20, 1926.Serial No. 149,645.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in display racksand more par ticularly to an article of this character which isespecially adapted for use in displaying merchandise such as necktiesand similar articles, and the principal object of my invention is theprovision of a display rack of the above character, whereby the articlesto be displayed are so secured that they may not be easily removed fromthe rack upon which they are placed for display.

It has been found that considerable loss is incurred through thepilfering of small articles of merchandise such as neckties and similararticles which are loosely displayed on racks or stands, and it is oneof the objects of my invention to provide an improved display rackincluding means whereby the articles thereon may be secured in suchmanner as not to be easily removed until the securing means is released,whereby the articles may then be readily removed for closer inspectionor sale by the salesperson, thus reducing to a minimum the loss throughpilfering.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a display rack orstand of the above character which. may be constructed in the nature ofa substantially permanent fixture or as a portable device to be movedabout and positioned in a convenient place for properly displaying themerchandise carried thereby.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a display rack orstand which is not only simple in construction, but is attractive,durable, reliable and will prove very satisfactory for displayingarticles of merchandise and preventing such articles from being easilypilfered.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown and described and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts: i

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a display rack constructed in accordance withmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, parts thereof being broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section;

Fig- 4 is a detail transverse section on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the clamping membersillustrating a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but illustrating still another formof the invention.

While this device may be, as stated above, constructed in the nature ofa substantially permanent fixture, I have illustrated in theaccompanying drawings the device as used in the form of a movable standor rack which may be placed in any convenient position for displayingmerchandise, and the device as illustrated includes in its constructiona base member 1 which has extending upwardly therefrom a hollow standard2, the upper end of which is provided with a bearing support 3, saidsupport having upon its upper face a plate 4 formed with a perforatedprojection 5 and mounted upon this plate is a bearing cup 6 centrallyrecessed to receive the anti-friction bearings 7. The said plate 4 andthe cup 6 are loosely secured to the bearing support 3 by means of asleeve 9.

The display rack itself includes the sleeve 9 which extends downwardlyinto the standard 2 through the bearing member 3 and carries a collar10, the lower end of which is slightly rounded and rests upon theanti-friction bearings 7, whereby the entire rack may be readilyrotated. Mounted upon the upper end of the sleeve 9 is one of theclamping elements which in the present instance will bereferred to asthe relatively stationary element and includes a rim 11 connected withthe hub portion 12 by means of the radial spokes 13. The hub 12 isformed with a central opening to receive the upper end of the sleeve 9and the hub is secured against movement relative tothe sleeve by meansof the plate 14 which is set into the upper face of the hub 12 andsecured thereto in any desired manner. The plate 14; is formed with athreaded opening into which the upper end of the sleeve 9 is threaded asclearly illustrated in Fig. 3, and from this it will be apparent thatthe relset in the upper face of the hub and secured thereto in anydesired manner, the upper end of said rod being threaded into anaperture in the plate as shown in Fig. 3.

, Y It will be apparent from the foregoing that both of the clampingelements are mounted for rotation relative to the standard 2 and thatthe upper or movable clamping element is mounted for movement toward oraway from the lowermost or relatively stationary element, wherebyarticles may be placed between the rims of the said elements and clampedt-herebetween by engaging the thumb screw 21 with the rod 19, said setscrew be ing threaded through the collar 10 and the sleeve 9 asillustrated.

' The upper face of the rim 11 is formed with an annular rib 22 which isarranged in opposed relation with an annular recess 23 formed inthe'lower face of the rim 16, and from this it wi l be apparent thatwhen neckties or similar articles are placed between the rims 11 and 16,they will befsecurely clamped against movement when the thumb screw 21is engaged with the rod 19, and ifvfound desirable, the opposed faces ofthe rib 22 and the groove 23 may be faced with friction resist- 1 ingmaterial such as rubber or the like so as to increase friction againstthe articles placed a between the two clamping elements.

The articles may be spaced in any desired mannerv by means of theupstanding pins 2 1- which are carried by the outer projecting perimeterof the rim 11, as it will be noted that the'outeredge of the rim 11projects be yond' the outer edgeofthe rim 16 so as to provide suitablespace V for'n'lounting these pins andthey may be spaced in any desiredman ner in accordance withthe' merchandise to be displayed.

,In order that the movable clamping ele- 'ment may be readilyactuated tomove the same away from the relatively stationary ele ment a rod 25 isconnected to the movable element throughtheimedium of. a plate 26, the

' lower end of said rod being provided with ahandle 27 which may bereadily grasped by the operator for raising or moving the movableclamping element away from the stationary one so that the merchandiseresting 7 upon the relatively stationary element may be readily-removed.The rod 25 is guided in its movement by having the same passed throughthe opening in the perforated extension 5.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that after the variousarticles have been arranged between the clamping elements, such articlesbeing illustrated at 28 in the drawings, the movable clamping elementmay be moved into engagement with the articles and secured in his mannerby tightening the thumb screw 21 against the rod 19. There fore, it willbe impossible to readily remove the articles without releasing the thumbscrew to permit movement of the rod 19 and movable clamping element.This action may be taken, however, by a person desiring to purchase anyof the articles on the rack or by a salesperson, but the attempt atpilfering any of the articles on the rack will be readily noticedthrough the action of a person attempting to release the articles, andit is believed that the loss incurred at the present time through suchaction will be reduced to a minimum As shown, in Fig. 3, the rod 19 andmovable clamping element are disclosed in a raised position in dottedlines and these elements may be maintained in this position while thearticles are being placed upon the rack by tightening the thumb screw 21so that the articles may be properly arranged before the action ofclamping them in position is carried out.

In 5 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of the inventionwherein the opposed faces of the clamping rims 11 and 16 are formed withopposed inclined friction members 29, the friction member carried by therim 16 having attached thereto studs 30 formed with heads 31 whichengage suitable stops 32 to limit the movement of the friction membercarried by the rim 1G, and the friction member which is carried by thestuds 30 is normally forced toward the frietion member carried by therim 11' through the medium of the springs 33 the recesses 34: in the rim16', such springs being maintained in their operative position by theclosure plugs 35. From this construction it will be apparent that afterthe articles have been placed between the rims 11 and 16, the tension ofthe springs 38 will have a tendency to force the friction member carriedby the rim 16 toward the rim 11 and thus positively clamp any articleswhich are placed between the two rims against movement rel ative to therims.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated still another form of the invention whereinthe rims 11 and 16 are arranged in the same relative position as in thepreferred form, but the upper face of the rim 11 is formed with aplurality of arcuate shaped recesses 36 and eccentrically mounted withinthese recesses are rollers 37 which are preferably faced with a frictionsurface such as rubber or the like,

nd the face of the rim 16 opposed thereto is also faced with rubber orother frictional arranged within lee surface as shown at 38. Thus, afterthe articles are placed between the rims, any attempt to remove thearticles therefrom will cause the rollers 3'4" to bind the articlesagainst the friction surface 38 and prevent their being withdrawn frombetween the two rims.

While I have disclosed the device in the form of an upright displaystand, it will be apparent that the sleeve 9 and rod 19 may be mountednot only in a horizontal position as shown, but in various planes bymounting the sleeve 9 in the manner illustrated. It will also be notedthat while the two clamping elements have been herein illustrated anddescribed as circular in form, any particular design may be carried outin the manufacture of the article.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; hence it do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A display rack including a support, a sleeve rotatably mountedrelative to the sup port, a clamping member carried by the sleeveincluding a rim, a second clamping member movable in a vertical planerelative to the first member and including a rim, means carried by theopposed faces which are at right angles to the rims of said clampingmembers to provide a friction resisting surface to articles clampedbetween the said opposed faces, and means for maintaining said clampingmembers in clamping position.

i 2. A display rack including a support, a sleeve rotatably mountedrelative to the support, a clamping member carried by the sleeveincluding a rim, a second clamping member vertically movable relative tothe first memher and including a rim, integral means carried by theopposed faces which are at right angles to the rims of said clampingmembers to provide a friction resisting surface to artieles clampedbetween the said opposed faces, means for maintaining said clampingmembers in clamping position, and means where by to vertically move andguide the second clamping member relative the first clamping member byadjusting the maintaining means.

3. A display rack including a support, a sleeve rotatably mountedrelative to the support, a clamping member carried by the sleeveincluding a rim, a second clamping member rotatable and verticallymovable relative to the first member and including a rim, means carriedby the opposed faces which are at right angles to the rims of saidclamping members to provide a friction resisting surto articles clampedbetween said faces,

and means for spacing the clamped articles circumferentially on saidopposed faces.

4:. A display rack including relatively stationary and movable circularclamping members, the outer edge of the stationary clamping memberprojecting beyond the outer edge of the movable clamping member, fixedpins carried by the projecting edge of the stationary clamping memberfor spacing articles to be clamped between said members, and means fornormally maintaining said members in clamping position.

5. A display rack including a standard, a bearing carried thereby, asleeve extending upwardly from the standard and slidably mountedrelative thereto, a collar carried by the sleeve and normally mountedupon said bearing, a clamping member attached the outer end of thesleeve, a second clamping member, a rod carried by the second member andslidable through the sleeve, means for engaging said rod to retain thesecond clamping member in clamping position relative to the firstmember, and means whereby to move the second clamping member toward andaway from the first member upon release of said securing means.

6. A display rack including a standard, a bearing carried thereby, asleeve extending upwardly from the standard and slidably mountedrelative thereto, a collar carried by the sleeve and normally mountedupon said bearing, a clamping member attached to the outer end of thesleeve, a second clamping member, a rod carried by the second member andslidable through the sleeve, means for engaging said rod to retain thesecond clamp ing member in clamping position relative to the firstmember, means whereby to move the second clamping member toward and awayfrom the first member upon release of said securing means, cooperatingbead and groove means carried integrally by the opposed faces of saidclamping members to resist movement of articles placed therebetween whenthe members are in clamping position.

7. A display rack including a standard, an anti-friction bearing carriedthereby, a sleeve slidably mounted relative to the bearing, a collarcarried by the sleeve and mounted upon said bearing, a clamping memberremovably attached to the outer end of the sleeve, a second clampingmember, a rod removably attached to the second member and slidable inthe sleeve, an adjustable element carried by the collar for engagingsaid rod to retain the same against movement, a friction surface uponthe opposed faces of said clamping members for resisting movement ofarticles placed between said members, and means carried by one of saidclamping members for spacing the articles placed between said members.

8. A display rack including a standard and a bearing carried thereby, asleeve extending member and slidable through the sleeve,

means for engaging said rod to retain the second clamping member inclamping position relative to the first member, means for moving thesecond clamping member toward and away from the first member uponrelease of said retaining means, and means mounted on said standard forguiding said moving means. a

' 9. A display rack including a standard, a rotatable. sleeve carriedthereby, a rod slidably mounted in said sleeve, a pair of 000 cratingclamping members mounted on t 1e end of said sleeve and of said rod, oneof sald clamping members having a ridge and the other clamping memberhaving a groove cooperating with said ridge for retaining articlestherebetween, and means attached to the outermost of said clampingmembers for moving it in a vertical plane toward and away from the otherclamping member.

10. A device of the kind described comprising a support, cooperatingcircular clampmg members carried by the support,

' the opposed faces of the clamping members being provided with acooperating groove and bead for holding the articles therebetween, andmeans to actuate one member relative to the other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

' JAMES V. 'OIZEK.

